Upper House is Not United Stronghold

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 686, 11 June 1929, Page 8

Upper House is Not United Stronghold

GOVERNMENT PROBLEM NEW NOMINEES UNLIKELY (From Our Resident Reporter) WELLINGTON, Today. With the approach of the seasion the position of the Government in relation to the Upper House presents an interesting problem. Owniug a majority in the Lower House, thanks to the co-operation ot Labour members, the fate which will await Government legislation once it proceeds to the other chamber is still a problem. The Prime Minister intends to introduce legislation on progressive lines which will call for support in the House of Representatives, but after seventeen years of Reform appointees there are not very many members of the Tipper House who might be called out-and-out United Party men. A great deal, of course, depends upon the nature of the legislation which Is submitted to the Upper Chamber. If the Government suffers reverses to important measures which have received the approval of the Lower House, it appears probable that the Prime Minister will confer with the Leader of the Legislative Council and that some arrangement will be sought. It is very unlikely that Government nominees will be appointed for the sole purpose of bringing the Government’s legislation through the Upper Chamber. And as things stand the Government is unlikely to appoint new members of the Council, which Is already over the customary number, and for which no appointments will fall due for some time.